Hear his speech, but say thou naught.

App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Mac

duff;

Beware the thane of Fife.

- Dismiss me :

enough. [Descends.

Macb. Whate'er thou art, for thy good caution,

thanks;

Thou hast harp'd my fear aright. But one word

more:

1 Witch. He will not be commanded: here's an

other,

More potent than the first.

Thunder. An Apparition of a bloody Child rises

App.

80

Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!

Macb. Had I three ears, I'd hear thee.

App. Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born

Shall harm Macbeth.

[Descends.

Macb. Then live, Macduff. What need I fear of thee?

But yet I'll make assurance double sure,

And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live;
That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies,

And sleep in spite of thunder. — What is this,

Thunder. An Apparition of a Child crowned, with a tree in his hand, rises

That rises like the issue of a king,

And wears upon his baby-brow the round
And top of sovereignty?

All.

Listen, but speak not to't.

App. Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are: Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be, until

Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill

Shall come against him.

Macb.

[Descends.

That will never be :

Who can impress the forest: bid the tree

Unfix his earth-bound root? sweet bodements! good!
Rebellion's head rise never till the wood

Of Birnam rise, and our high-placed Macbeth
Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath

To time and mortal custom,

Yet my heart

Throbs to know one thing: tell me (if your art
Can tell so much) shall Banquo's issue ever
Reign in this kingdom?

All.

Seek to know no more.

Macb. I will be satisfied: deny me this,

And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know:

90

100

Why sinks that cauldron ? and what noise is this?

110 All. Show his eyes and grieve his heart;

Come like shadows, so depart.

Eight Kings appear, and pass over the stage in order, the last with a glass in his hand; BANQUO following

Macb. Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo; down! Thy crown does sear mine eyeballs:

and thy hair,

Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first:-
A third is like the former. - Filthy hags!
Why do you show me this? - A fourth!

eyes!

Start,

What! will the line stretch out till the crack of doom?

Another yet?

A seventh? I'll see no more:

And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass 120 Which shows me many more; and some I see That twofold balls and treble sceptres carry : Horrible sight!-Nay, now I see 'tis true; For the blood-bolter'd Banquo smiles upon me, And points at them for his. — What, is this so? 1 Witch. Ay, sir, all this is so. But why

Stands Macbeth thus amazèdly?
Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites,
And show the best of our delights;

I'll charm the air to give a sound,
130 While you perform your antic round;
That this great king may kindly say,
Our duties did his welcome pay.

[Music. The Witches dance, and vanish. Gone? Let this per

Mach. Where are they?

Macb. Infected be the air whereon they ride;

And damn'd all those that trust them! I did hear

140 The galloping of horse. Who was't came by?

Len. 'Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word, Macduff is fled to England.

Macb.

Fled to England?